At least 45 civilians were killed in attacks by Syrian government forces in the central city of Hama and other towns, Syrian activists said Thursday. Witnesses said that large numbers of people started to escape the city.

Activists also said that the security forces launched an arrest campaign in the province of Hama, and erected barriers to prevent the population from go out of the city. They said the army focuses on bombing the Hamidiya neighborhood. Earlier, residents in Hama said the tanks entered the center of the city. They added the snipers were deployed on the roofs of buildings in Hama.

In the city of Homs, helicopters were seen over the city which was surrounded by security forces. In addition,, demonstrations took place in Zabadani close to Damascus, near the border with Lebanon. In the town of Nawa in Huran region, activists said seven people were killed overnight, along with one person in Palmyra.

These developments came as the UN Security Council condemned "the widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities."